FastPass Tiers Explained – The Complete Guide

Fastpasses are a great way to reduce the time you wait in lines during your Disney World vacation. When you go to book your fastpasses, you might be surprised to find that you can’t just choose all of the most popular rides. The reason why : fastpass tiers. Most of the Disney World parks use a tier system, and understanding these fastpass tiers is part of your Disney World planning strategy. Each Park has different fastpass tier rules, and some are definitely easier to navigate than others. So let’s go and conquer some FastPass+ tier selections!

What Are Disney World Fast Pass Tiers?

Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot all utilize fast pass tiers. These three Disney World Parks each have 2 different tiers or fastpass groups. When choosing your fastpasses, you can pick up to one fastpass from “tier 1” and two fastpasses from “tier 2.”

Planning Tip : If you are asking yourself “what is a fastpass anyway”, head over to the the Fastpass Guide before diving into the tiers.

Why does Disney have fast pass tiers?

It’s a way to spread the more popular rides around a larger group of people rather than letting a smaller group take all of the popular fastpass rides. On the whole, the fastpass tiers help to ensure you get to skip the line for at least one of the best rides.

Do you have to pick from both Fast Pass tiers at Disney World?

No, you don’t. If you don’t want one of the rides in Tier 1, you are free to choose 3 rides from Tier 2. In some parks, this may work out better for you especially if you have people in your group that don’t meet the height requirements for some rides.

Make sure you snag an awesome Magic Band to scan for your fastpasses! You can pick one for your favorite land, your favorite ride, or even your favorite park!

Show them you love Toy Story Land

If Flights of Passage is your favorite FastPass!

We all love Magic Kingdom…because there are no fastpass tiers!

Animal Kingdom FastPass Tiers

Make sure Expedition Everest finds its way into your fastpasses!

Animal Kingdom tiers center around Pandora and non-Pandora rides. When Pandora – World of Avatar opened in May 2018, the rides were extremely popular. These Animal Kingdom ride tiers help make sure you can get a fastpass for at least one of the Pandora rides.

Animal Kingdom Tier 1 Rides

Avatar Flight of Passage is by far the most sought after fastpass in Animal Kingdom. For those over 44 inches tall, this thrill ride is a must-do. Na’vi River Journey is a unique experience exploring beautiful Pandora through a gentle boat ride.

Avatar Flight of Passage

Na’vi River Journey

Animal Kingdom Tier 2 Rides

Animal Kingdom is arguably the best park for tier 2 rides. It has multiple thrill rides like Expedition Everest roller coaster, DINOSAUR, and Kali River Rapids. It also has preferred seating at shows like Rivers of Light and Kilimanjaro Safaris trek through Africa is an absolute must-do. This is a park where you could easily pick three tier 2 rides and be very happy.

Hollywood Studios FastPass Tiers

You’ll have to do the Smugglers Run without a fastpass.

Hollywood Studios tiers have changed a lot over the past few years and will certainly change again as the park continues to expand. With the addition of Star Wars : Galaxy’s Edge, all of the Toy Story Land rides and thrill rides were added into Tier 1 while Tier 2 was mainly comprised of shows. Thankfully, the tiers will change again on February 19, 2020 when Smugglers Run becomes available for FastPass+ booking.

Note : The Star Wars : Galaxy’s Edge ride Rise of the Resistance is not currently eligible for fastpass+ selections. Rise of the Resistance utilizes boarding groups.

Hollywood Studios Tier 1 Rides

Get ready to GO!! in Tier 1 FastPass for Slinky Dog at Hollywood Studios.

If we had to rank Parks, Hollywood Studios fast pass tiers would get the lowest rating prior to the February 19, 2020 change. The new Hollywood Studios tiers, however, are great! Tier 1 only includes Slinky Dog Dash and Smugglers Run, meaning you have access to tons of fun rides in tier 2.

Pre-February 19, 2020 Hollywood Studios Tier 1

Slinky Dog Dash

Alien Swirling Saucers

Toy Story Mania!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Hollywood Studios Tier 1 2020

Slinky Dog Dash

Millenium Falcon : Smugglers Run

Hollywood Studios Tier 2 Rides

Tier 2 Hollywood Studios fastpasses are all shows with the exception of Star Tours prior to the February 2020 change. Post February, the whole world of Hollywood Studios Rides opens up to you! It’s one of the best parks for stacking in awesome rides.

Magic Kingdom FastPass Tiers

Fastpass tiers are a trick question at Magic Kingdom, because it is the only Disney World Park WITHOUT tiers. It also has more fastpass options than any other park.

Planning Tip : It’s even more important that your phone doesn’t die at Magic Kingdom so you can book more fastpasses after you use your first three. Make sure to bring an awesome external battery pack with you!

Magic Kingdom FastPass Options

You will find 23 fastpass options in Magic Kingdom. They range from the thrill ride Mountains (Space, Big Thunder, Space) to character meet and greets. This is a great park to employ some Disney fastpass secrets and use more than the three standard fastpasses per day.

Epcot FastPass Tiers

Get ready to race at Test Track.

Epcot has the fewest fastpass options of any Disney World Park making the Epcot tiers even more of a factor when booking your rides. Both tiers contain shows and rides so you can pick a variety of different experiences.

Epcot FastPass Tier 1 Rides

The most popular rides at Epcot are all included in tier 1 meaning you will not want to skip booking one. Test Track is the best pick for speed junkies while Frozen Ever After is a must-do for Elsa fans. Soarin’ Around the World is a completely immersive experience, flying over landmarks across the world, and an Epcot Forever fastpass can reserve you a seat at Epcot’s nighttime fireworks show.

Epcot Forever

Frozen Ever After

Soarin’ Around the World

Test Track

Epcot FastPass Tier 2 Rides

Take a ride through history through Spaceship Earth.

Few of the Epcot fast pass tier 2 rides generate really long lines consistently. Most have a reasonable wait time, but it is still worth reserving two with a fastpass.

Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival

Journey into Imagination With Figment

Living with the Land

Mission: Space

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

Spaceship Earth

Turtle Talk with Crush

With fewer options for fastpasses, there is a little more pressure to pick the right ones. Make sure to check out the Epcot fastpass guide for more detail.

Once you’ve mastered fastpass planning, you should shout it from the roof tops or at least wear it on your shirt! You’re bound to get compliments from fellow planners with these fun shirts.

I think we all feel this way every week!

Who wouldn’t trade someone for a Slinky Dog fastpass?

If you decide you really don’t like the FastPass+ tiers

Disney FastPass Tiers

Remember these key points, and you’ll have the hang of the fastpass tiers in no time!